Today we feature more photos from incoming students.

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My name is Venetia Aranha, an incoming student to the MPA (economic and political development). I am from India and here are a few of my favourite photographs!

Last year I travelled along with a Japanese friend of mine to the town of Haridwar in Uttar Pradesh, known for its religious significance, notably the worship of the scared river Ganges (or Ganga).  Here every year, scores of faithful Hindus throng the river to offer their prayers to the Ganges- in the picture below two aged ladies light ‘diyas’ which are lit wicks in an earthen base, to float onto the river.

If you look closely enough, there is always priceless humour to be found in a little store in a tourist town in India. This picture is of the market area in Haridwar of a shop display of music and cinema CDs. At a glance, you will see only famous old Hindi singers and actors- but on the right most corner of the 4th shelf, there you’ll find none other than the epitome of English Pop- Madonna!!

This last one is taken at a popular fete or ‘Mela’ as it is called in India, known as the ‘Suraj Kund Mela’ somewhere on the outskirts of Delhi. My father used to speak to this wondrous contraption from his childhood days- a little machine that shows you pictures in succession to form a story- and sometimes its operator would even sing along to provide a background score- the perfect substitute for a television! I was surprised to find this very device at the fair, with a little boy keenly peeking into it.

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My name is Moussa Magassouba. I am an incoming MIA Student. I am sending a few of the photos that I have taken from my 2010 trip in West Africa as well as from my work places.

Description: Guinean Minister of Presidential Security

This photo was taken in 2010 during my two-week vacation period in Guinea (West Africa) at a military camp with my camera carefully concealed. The man in the center of the picture wearing traditional African voodoos is well the Minister in charge of Security of the chief of the military junta who, after a military coup on December 24, 2008, proclaimed himself  President of Guinea, a beginning of lawlessness and military burtality until democratic elections were held at the end of 2010. The man is currently under the arraignment of the Hague International Court of Justice for crimes against humanity.

Me leading by example:  I am operating a Caterpillar Bull Dozer D8 in 2008 at a gold mine in Southern California. As a Superintendent of mine operations and the Senior Engineer, my job does not stop in the office environment. When I give complex assignments in the field and operators do not seem to understand or cannot successfully execute the assignments, then I decide to lead by example. Thankfully, I know how to run most of the heavy equipment in the mining and construction industries.

Drilling and Hauling: This photo was taken in December 2010 in Pennsylvania. Operators at one of our cement quarries are seen laying out blast holes that will be drilled each one a 50-foot depth and loaded with explosives before they are fired to break the limestone, the raw material for cement fabrication. An articulated haul truck Euclid type is seen hauling limestone on a very rough terrain heading to the crushing plant.